Monday, November 09, 2020

Presentation Overview

  • Background & Purpose

  • Exploration of Launch Trends

    • Total Number of Launches Historically by Country (Map)
    • Total Number of Global Launches Over Time by Private/State Classification
    • Total Number of US Launches Over Time by Private/State Classification

Background & Purpose

  • Over the past century in the United States, space operations have typically been planned, organized, and executed by government entities.

  • Paradigm shift in the United States (US) as a result of:

    1. Decommissioning of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Space Shuttle program
    2. The allowance and emergence for research and development of Commercial Orbital Transportation Services
  • Goal of Briefing: To explore global & national launch trends over the years.

Data Description

Total Number of Launches Historically by Country (Map)

Countries With The Most Launches Historically

Country of Launch Numuber Of Ops Country Code Latitude (deg) Longitude (deg)
Russia 1398 RU 61.52401 105.318756
United States 1351 US 37.09024 -95.712891
Kazakhstan 701 KZ 48.01957 66.923684
France 303 FR 46.22764 2.213749
China 269 CN 35.86166 104.195397
Japan 126 JP 36.20482 138.252924

Total Number of Global Launches Over Time by Private/State Classification

Total Number of US Launches Over Time by Private/State Classification

Summary & Conclusions

  • Judging from the numbers, space exploration has always been important to many countries historically.

  • State operated launches were predominate in the earlier years; however, commercial/private operated launches are increasing in the later years.

    • This point is easily observed from the US data displayed in the the plot showing the “Total Number of US Launches Over Time by Private/State. Classification”
  • New innovations are rapidly ushering in an unprecedented day of space operations and making it accessible to more people worldwide.